


I Wish This Year to be Full of Laughter

by Ki_no_Shirayuki



Series: 摺箔 — Surihaku [13]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Childhood, Cooking, Food, Gen, Japanese Culture, Light-Hearted, New Year's Fluff, New Years, POV First Person, Present Tense, Some Humor, Teacher-Student Relationship, The Author is Proving She's Not a Weeaboo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 16:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8852095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ki_no_Shirayuki/pseuds/Ki_no_Shirayuki
Summary: Making osechi-ryōri with these kids is no easy task, but it is exactly why I always look forward to it every New Year.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [deargodwhatisthatthing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deargodwhatisthatthing/gifts).



> Title: from Miku song "Ake ome!" (which is… you get it… "akemashite omedetō", a.k.a Happy New Year)

Getting into the kitchen with these three little troublemakers can only mean one thing.

_Chaos._

It all began the moment I told them to retrieve the _o-jubako,_ that lovely lacquered, three-tiered box that we use to prepare the traditional New Year's meal. To be fair, it was a mistake on my part for having placed it _a little bit_ too high on the cupboard above the kitchen sink, but I'd be damned if I say I didn't hide my laugh seeing their climbing on each other's shoulders before inevitably collapsing and wincing in pain and muttering accusations against each other afterwards. "Sorry, I forgot where I left it since last year." I said, chuckling, as I reached for the box and handed it to them, "now you can go clean it." Gintoki was the first to take it from my hands, giving me that _oh so adorable_ scowl and pout that I couldn't help but grin in response.

Not that I don't get _frustrated_ working with them sometimes, especially Shinsuke and Gintoki — look, they're already drenching after I asked them to rinse the vegetables — I had at one point or another even considered giving up altogether and go buy a ready-made _osechi_ meal at the nearest convenience store. Even Gintoki brought this up once, saying we are "probably the only people still preparing _osechi_ by ourselves in the whole of Japan", to which I reply, "Don't you think it more fun this way?". Sure, buying ready-made food saves time and spares the children from the dangers they may get into, what with Shinsuke and Gintoki's constant bickering, but I stand firm in my belief that having them help out around the kitchen is no less valuable a lesson for them than what I teach during school hours. It is also, yes, a lot more _fun;_ I'm not going to fool myself, this is what I look forward to the most every New Year.

I never let the children get close to the fire, only making them prepare the ingredients while I do all the cooking. Watching them do their work while waiting for whatever on the stove to cook — ah, the boiled prawns are almost ready — brings me immense joy. These are three unique children, each with their own distinctive personalities and styles, and it really shows. After removing the prawns from the pot, I glance at Kotarou standing next to me at the kitchen counter slicing _kamaboko_ fish cake; he works the knife like he does the sword, paying close attention to detail and accuracy, making sure each and every slice is the same size and thickness. He does everything with the same serious attitude he gives his studies and training. By the gods, he can quite possibly make a renowned sushi chef in the future had he shown more interest in cooking. Meanwhile, Shinsuke having been assigned the task of peeling sweet potatoes for the _kuri-kinton,_ sweet potato paste with chestnuts, would very much like to work alone uninterrupted as usual, that lovable loner, but not when Gintoki, having already finished peeling the carrots for the _namasu_ salad, is around. Seriously, that Gintoki, always trying to finish his work as quickly as possible for the sake of calling Shinsuke a slow-poke, among other things. By now, Shinsuke seems to be at his limit, as he simply tosses the not-yet-fully-peeled potato and the peeler back into the bowl before him and approaches me, squeezing in between me and Kotarou, making him move the cutting board away a little to make room. "Gintoki," I scold him, "why are you fooling around already? You haven't even peeled the _daikon_ yet! As punishment, not only do you have to slice the carrots and _daikon,_ you also have to continue where Shinsuke left off and finish peeling the sweet potatoes, or no _kuri-kinton_ , no _kuromame_ beans, no anything sweet for you on New Year's Day." I then turn to Shinsuke, "You can go fetch four eggs so we can make  _datemaki_ rolled omelet. This is your first time doing this, so listen closely: add two tablespoons _mirin,_ one sugar, two _dashi_ stock, a little soy sauce and beat the eggs, after that add the tiny bits of fish meat Kotarou has already sliced. Understand?" he nods, "By the way, do _not_ add any more than one tablespoon of sugar. Every year Gintoki makes _datemaki,_ he is the only one who can eat it." I can hear a shocked _whaaat_ coming from the silver-head, "Of course, we'll reserve a fourth of the egg making it extra-sweet… as long as Gintoki finishes peeling and cutting his vegetables. Kotarou, go help Shinsuke make the eggs, I'll boil the black soybeans."

Making _osechi-ryōri_ with these kids is no easy task, but it is exactly why I always look forward to it every New Year, even at an age when people say you should no longer enjoy it when another year has slipped away from your life. Yet, isn't it what New Year is really about: being with those you love the most and spending quality time with them? For me, seeing Gintoki begrudgingly scraping the peeler against the potato muttering curses under his breath while Kotarou scolds Shinsuke for letting a piece of broken shell get into the eggs _again_ never fails to bring a smile to my lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope it's not OOC by any means, writing Shouyou is hard :P. Happy (Early) New Year to everyone!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[MST] TIME TO CLEAN THE CLAAAASSROOM](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9470048) by [Ki_no_Shirayuki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ki_no_Shirayuki/pseuds/Ki_no_Shirayuki)
  * [The Oedo Culinary Academy Project](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9482090) by [deargodwhatisthatthing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deargodwhatisthatthing/pseuds/deargodwhatisthatthing), [Ki_no_Shirayuki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ki_no_Shirayuki/pseuds/Ki_no_Shirayuki)




End file.
